Golf in the Wind

[picrig]

Decided to try to get in a round today since it was supposed to be warm (60s). I didn't realize, however, that winds would be 25-30 mph w/gusts to 35. I can deal w/breezy conditions pretty well, but this bordered on ridiculous. If you were playing with a crosswind and hit a ball with the wind, kiss your chances of hitting the fairway goodbye. If you shaped it into the wind, goodbye to your distance.

Most humorous hole of the day was the 150-yard par-3. It was playing downwind so I knew I needed to take less club. I thought an easy 8 iron would be good (I'm usually around 137 on a solid 8). I hit the shot, caught it pretty solid and pulled it a little. I thought I'd put it in the sand on the left of the green but saw it sail over. So, I took out my gps and hit the shot button. Walked over to my ball, which is almost in the creek running 30 yards behind the green. Look at the GPS--173 yards with an 8 iron! The other interesting hole was a par 5 playing downwind. My buddy, who is a shorter hitter than I am hit a drive down the middle. I striped one (I thought) down the middle. We got to his and measured it w/the gps at 242. Couldn't see my ball in the fairway, but thought it must be up there somewhere past his (no way was I shorter). Ended up never finding it. I suspect it rolled through the fairway and into the rough on the right side never to be found again. Too bad...w/the wind, I might've actually got it out to 300 yards.

Anybody have any good stories from playing in the wind? Or tips on playing in the wind (besides keeping the ball low)?

[bogeyhitter25]

173. That's a light 4 iron for me, haha. Not that windy really up here in New England, except for one time when my friend's hat blew off his head and landed in the middle of small pond.

As for tips, you could try to be Geoff Ogilvy, and hit it over the wind, .

[Big Padrigo]

I live and play about 25 miles from the Gulf of Mexico on a course with a solitary tree. The winds are really strong this time of year, 25-35mph easy. I played last weekend and there was one par-3 which was playing about 170 yards dead into the wind. I hit my 3-w and though I pulled it left of the green, it was pin high. My playing partner is very close to me in distance and hit his 3-w to the middle of the green. Both of us hit our shots very cleanly, just crazy strong wind. The biggest difficulty tends to be on the greens. The wind affects the spin and so you don't tend to get as much when you're downwind and more into it, so can be very tough to judge. The greens are typically very fast and the wind can really affect your putts as there's no resistance...

In terms of tips, I think once you have figured out which shot to hit, keep your tempo. One common problem people have in the wind is they think they need to hit the ball harder, so they swing faster, that usually doesn't work out too well. If you've adjusted your club selection appropriately then just swing normally for the best results. And plan to play the hole conservatively when you're into the wind, a lot of par 4s just wont be reachable.

[GaijinGolfer]

When playing in windy conditions you need to go at least 1 club longer (you may even need to go 2 clubs longer) than you normally would and just play into the wind.
The wind also effects putting and a wind gust can easily send you put offline, so when its windy you also need to factor the wind into aiming your putt.
Look at it this way, at least you got to play. A lot of us who live in the northern parts of the country havent played since late November and likely wont play until sometime in April.
Id take 35 mph winds any day over temps in the single digits and 6" of snow on the ground.

[ryohazuki222]

Decided to try to get in a round today since it was supposed to be warm (60s). I didn't realize, however, that winds would be 25-30 mph w/gusts to 35. I can deal w/breezy conditions pretty well, but this bordered on ridiculous. If you were playing with a crosswind and hit a ball with the wind, kiss your chances of hitting the fairway goodbye. If you shaped it into the wind, goodbye to your distance.

Oh my... I'm in central Texas and despite the amazing "winter" weather we're having, the wind has been just as you say -- downright ridiculous.

I found it messes more with my head than my actual shots... but that does more damage I'm pretty sure. But about the 10th time my hat flies off my head I start loosing my cool (I'm pretty laid back.) It's also uncomfortable to have to tighten the hat so tight to keep it on... hard to relax like that. Best shot ever for me was a litte downwind on hole 18. Hit my 3 wood hard and got solid contact and it had a total distance of about 280. I'm still not sure I've hit a drive (without downhill help) that far on the course. Of course the putting is the hardest for me in the wind. It throws off my focus, my balance, and downhill and downwind putts (fast greens to begin with) just don't stop no matter how lightly you tap them.)

[ryohazuki222]

When playing in windy conditions you need to go at least 1 club longer (you may even need to go 2 clubs longer) than you normally would and just play into the wind.

I completely agree. Trust me, as crazy as the wind is, I'm very happy to be out there.

Forgot to mention that I started playing a lot better after following your advice. I think I orginially heard it from Anthony Kim on the golf channel. He basically said the hard to try and hit it the more back spin, the more the wind will take it. Just relax take an extra club and hit it normally. It works wonders for me.

[cdriver]

Played a couple of weeks ago in 25MPH with gusts to 40. My men's club played at a wide open desert course. I hit driver into the wind several times that barely got to the fairway, but I also hit a drive downwind on the last hole 387. We measured it. I got it up in the wind and caught the cartpath. Hey, whatever it takes to get out over 300...

[wedge player]

Decided to try to get in a round today since it was supposed to be warm (60s). I didn't realize, however, that winds would be 25-30 mph w/gusts to 35. I can deal w/breezy conditions pretty well, but this bordered on ridiculous. If you were playing with a crosswind and hit a ball with the wind, kiss your chances of hitting the fairway goodbye. If you shaped it into the wind, goodbye to your distance.

hey were at in texas you play i went and played again and at a 180yd par 3 normall a 7 iron for me wind dead in face hit a 5 iron and came up 30 yds short its a killer herre right now

[picrig]

I'm in College Station. Grad student at Texas A&M;, finishing up in May. Heading to Orlando after that to go to the Professional Golfer's Career College. What part of TX are you in?

And trust me, I don't envy those of you in the colder climates. As much as I "hate" playing in the wind, I enjoy the challenge. Golf would be boring if it was played in a dome.

[wedge player]

I'm in College Station. Grad student at Texas A&M;, finishing up in May. Heading to Orlando after that to go to the Professional Golfer's Career College. What part of TX are you in?

huntsville bout 30 miles east of ya

[picrig]

Do you ever play Raven Nest at Sam Houston (isn't that what it's called?) I've been meaning to get out there and play...I've heard it's pretty nice.

[Ben]

Anybody have any good stories from playing in the wind? Or tips on playing in the wind (besides keeping the ball low)?

I've always heard Texas has some serious winds. We've got them at my place too. My club is located right near a mountain pass that winds collect behind and blow us out. You can count on a 1-club minimum wind from November through to March. And that's a reasonable day. It gets worse, much worse.

Like your Par-3, we've got a 139 yarder here that plays dead into the wind. One day I had to hit a 6 iron to get to the back of the green (That's my 185 club). Most of the time it'll play 2 clubs difference though. That being said, my knock-down game is pretty on point right now. I've got punch shots down cold. Too bad my first two tournaments this year, yesterday and today, were played in perfect, still conditions. Come to think of it, I did birdie most the holes I decided to play punches on...

[picrig]

Yeah, my knock down shots are still inconsistent. We have a slightly uphill par 3, about 165 or so. I thought I'd hit a little punch/three-quarters 7I to the green (pin tucked back left behind a bunker) and try to draw it around the bunker a little bit. This shows where my course management still isn't A+...I supposed it'll come w/experience. I hit the shot I wanted, got it behind the bunker, and then found my ball about 5 yards off the back of the green...w/the wind behind me and the draw it couldn't hold the green. Luckily I chipped up to 4 feet and saved par. But yeah, the wind can be brutal here from fall through the beginning of spring.

[MiniMoe]

Here in Kerrville (near San Antonio, tx) we get some good winds. We played last week or so in 25-35 with gusts close to 50 mph. When it's windy how high the ball goes is more important than how far the shot is. When asked what I'm hitting on a 150 yrd par three into the gale, I say 6, 5, or 4 iron depending on how high I want to hit it and how hard I want to swing at it. My 6 goes 180 - 185. If I hit the 6 high, it's still not going to get there. If I hit it too low, it might be too much. It's all about having a vision of how high you want the ball to go and pick a club that will produce that trajectory with the smoothest swing.

My driver is a little different. Into the wind I'm learning to tee it up high and try to hit the ball with the top of the driver face to get the ball to knuckle. If there is very little spin the the ball, it will go through the wind very well and will roll a long way. Years ago, back in New Mexico, I learned to hit a drop-kick with my driver that would carry 150yrds and roll at least another 100 yrds. I have lost that shot, but it was fun while I had it. It looked so bad, but it always turn out good and plenty far.

[tjy355]

Nae wind, nae goff!!

[wedge player]

Do you ever play Raven Nest at Sam Houston (isn't that what it's called?) I've been meaning to get out there and play...I've heard it's pretty nice.

yea ive played there a few times its a pretty good course its kinda a bombers course if you can hit a ball long and high you can knock off 20-80 yards on almost everyhole i can think of